Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I OCTOBER 2, 2013 ry Church knee-deep in flood relief BY JULIE FILBY When the Catholic commuhe nity in Windsor was called on Lady to help victims of Front Range e title flooding there was no hesitaenturytion. They've "been there"— sion. and not all that long ago. ession "A lot of us were hit by the the tornado in 2008," explained hout Kathy Zrubek, a parishioner of the Our Lady of the Valley Church in Windsor. "We've been on the other end of this." Zrubek's home with her husband Mike and their four children was destroyed in May 2008 when a mile-wide tornado tore through the Weld County town of 20,000; destroying 80 homes and damagks," he ing another 700. sup"We've been through a disasn their ter," she said. "Often it's hard help fito ask for help but that's what catholiwe're here for, just like people denver. were there for us." 090, or The Zrubeks are among olic Ra100-plus volunteers that have dustrial been working at Our Lady of prings, the Valley since Sept. 21 when the church became the primary receiving hub for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Denver's disaster relief efforts following Sept. 11-15 flooding rains that damaged some 16,000 homes in northern Colorado. The parish of about 1,200 families also serves as a distribution center providing aid, along with St. John the Evangelist Church in Loveland, St. Mary Church in Greeley, and the newest site opened CATHOLIC CHARITIES' DISASTER RELIEF CENTERS St. Mary Parish 2222 23rd Ave., Greeley 970-352-1724 Our Lady of the Valley Parish 1250 7th St., Windsor 970-686-5084 St. John the Evangelist Parish 1730 W. 12th St., Loveland 970-635-5800 Milliken Corner of Broad Street and Frances Avenue Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Greeley and Milliken close 6 p.m.) Sundays noon to 5 p.m. To donate or volunteer: Visit www.ccdenver.org, call 303-742-0828, or mail 4045 Pecos St., Denver, CO 80211; or call one of the parishes listed. in Milliken Sept. 27 at Broad Street and Frances Avenue. There were several reasons Larry Smith, president and CEO of Catholic Charities, called Father Gregg Pedersen, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley, to request his parish take on the intake responsibility. For one: geography. "It's right in the middle of the areas hardest hit," said Smith, including nearby Loveland, Greeley, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Milliken and Evans. Secondly, the recently constructed campus, dedicated September 2011, has a large hall that provides considerable storage space. Boxes of supplies—such as cleaning products, buckets, bins, non-perishable food, water and other drinks, coolers, medical supplies and toiletries—have continued to arrive via semitruck since Sept. 21. The trucks are unloaded by volunteers to PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM FOR DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER VOLUNTEERS unload boxes of flood relief supplies Sept. 21 at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Windsor. "Father Gregg is like the store at Our Lady of the Valley, or they are transported to one 'dream priest' for this activity," of the other centers in Love- he continued. "He's enthusiastic, detailed and a staunch supland, Greeley or Milliken. porter of helping those in need." Father Pedersen, ordained "If everybody does a May 2011, served as parochilittle, it really adds up al vicar at Our Lady of Loreto to a lot." in Foxfield before moving to —Kathy Zrubek Windsor three months ago. He parishioner at Our Lady of attributed experience there, the Valley Church in Windsor including a leadership role in helping with Catholic Charities' planning vigils and funerals flood relief efforts following the Aurora theater shooting July 12, 2012, in helping to hone his organizational "It's all really coming togeth- skills; as well as a great parish staff in Windsor. er," Father Pedersen said. "From the beginning of the Smith expressed his gratitude to parishioners, as well as floods, we were asking 'What Father Pedersen, for their hard can we do?' Let's do something!'" he relayed. "I was rework and zeal. "The response has been ally excited (to be called on by phenomenal," Smith said. Catholic Charities) … we have "They've really embraced the the space and we have the genneed to give back … hundreds erous parishioners to do this." As efforts in Windsor of volunteers helped set up have grown, it's become an and man the site. ecumenical group with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Greek Orthodox Church joining in. "It's bigger, better and more organized than anything we could've done on our own," Father Pedersen said of Catholic Charities' leadership. "There's a lot of momentum here, and I know the Lord will take care of us." More volunteers and donations are needed. For more information, contact one of the parishes (see accompanying box) or Catholic Charities at 303-742-0828 or visit www. ccdenver.org. "Come in for an hour or two," Zrubek said. "If everybody does a little, it really adds up to a lot." Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. filby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegisterJulie Boulder Catholic school opens doors to displaced students BY CINDY BROVSKY Twenty-nine Boulder County children attending public elementary schools and displaced by the historic floods were recently welcomed tuition-free at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder. The school and parish, which also suffered flooding in the Sept. 11-15 deluge, collectively wanted to help restore some sense of normalcy to the community after the devastating floods shuttered schools throughout the county and destroyed thousands of homes. The increased costs to the school, including paying for lunches for the new students and field trip fees, is being covered by an anonymous gift from a Sacred Heart parishioner. "After the flooding, we were all asking what we could give and how we could help," said Sarah Wostenberg, admissions coordinator for Sacred Heart. "As a school, we can educate PHOTO PROVIDED PRINCIPAL of Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder, Roonie Leittem-Murrell, at right, stands with students to show they are ready to welcome new friends to the school, tuition-free. the students and also offer The new students, a majora routine and a feeling that ity non-Catholic, had been the students were no longer attending nearby Crest View displaced." Elementary School which was The pastor, Father Chris Ren- the worst damaged among the ner, and Principal Roonie Leit- Boulder Valley School District tem-Murrell instructed staff to buildings. Crest View was exdo whatever they could to help pected to reopen Sept. 30. One the community, she said. student attended school in Lyons and is expected to stay at Sacred Heart through December because of destroyed roads and homes in the small community. The offer also has been extended to displaced students from Jamestown. Once the decision was made for open enrollment, the Sacred Heart community spread the message through word of mouth, social media and flyers to surrounding neighborhoods. Wostenberg met with parents, many who had questions about Catholic education, and the new students began classes on Sept. 23. The outreach is an important lesson for the other students at the kindergarten through eighth grade school with an enrollment of 260 students, Wostenberg said. "This is an opportunity for our Catholic students to show their virtues of being Catholics," she said. "It is recognition of what other people need and what we have to offer." The Sacred Heart students also are helping through a fundraising bake sale, food drive and putting together personal care kits, including donated toothbrushes, soap and other toiletries, for displaced families throughout the county. Many Sacred Heart School staff and parishioners had major flood damage to their homes and some are living with relatives during the cleanup. Still, they are dedicated to helping the community during the months of rebuilding and open enrollment will continue, Wostenberg said. "We checked in with our new students' parents just to see how things were going and if they had any questions," she said. "One parent said his child just seemed more centered. The parents are gracious and grateful." Cindy Brovsky: 303-715-3215; lou5213@aol.com; www.twitter. com/DCRegister

• Cover